California Governor Gavin Newsom has set the stage for the end of in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic. He did so by issuing an Executive Order that authorizes and encourages law enforcement agencies to remotely register individuals telephonically and by other means. The reason for these remote procedures, according to the Order, is to protect both law enforcement personnel as well as registrants.
We acknowledge that the Governor’s order is a suggestion, not a mandate. There are no penalties for law enforcement agencies that choose to disregard it. But the fact remains that remote registration is the only humane method available during this global pandemic.
Registrants must be protected from the threat of COVID-19 infection that exists at every registration site. That threat is found on surfaces such as chairs, counters and clipboards touched by countless others. That threat is also found on paperwork they are required to sign. The greatest threat, however, is experienced during the photographing and fingerprinting processes when registrants are required to remove their face masks and gloves and are even exposed to human physical contact.
The Governor wisely addressed the topic of fingerprints and photographs in his Order. While recognizing that fingerprints and photographs are required by state law, the Governor has suspended that requirement for 60 days. It is a suspension that could and should be extended in future orders.
The timing of the Governor’s Order is late. That is, more than two months have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. And during that time, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been required to register in person. More than 10,000 people may have been exposed to COVID-19 and more than 10,000 people may have, in turn, exposed their families to the virus. As of this date, their rate of infection is not yet known.
What is known is that the judges and justices that will make decisions in cases challenging in-person registration that are now pending in several California courts must consider the Governor’s Order. Those judges and justices cannot in good conscious allow law enforcement agencies to reject remote registration because it is an administrative burden.
How can anyone declare that saving the lives of more than 109,000 registrants and their families as well as law enforcement officers is a burden? Instead of a burden, remote registration should be seen as a vital mission, a mission of compassion. Law enforcement officials that view the opportunity to remotely register individuals as a burden do not deserve the government pay that they receive.
Yes ACSOL,
Our leadership is traditionally satisfied with getting to enforce the laws as they see fit, and not when they see fit to do so. For example many states have laws on the books making it a crime to wear facial coverings in public places. With Covid being in play most will ignore those laws because of the contagion, yet the law on the books is the law right? Why is the current administration and situation be any different. Law enforcement will play ball; Aaaaaaaannnnnnd how!
Janice and all Who helped, Another huge Victory
Thank you!!!
BTW why is it every year they take fingerprints do fingerprints change from year to year?
While I’m just glad the Gov of Calif. did the right thing. And yes if Janice and her team took this measure to stand up than its a blessing in many ways . While the article said: maybe a bit too late but its on the books. Talk about safety in numbers. Of course this is a pandremic that came up in a very unusual but it does have a meaning behind it I’m sure.
Sure no one was prepared for this virus. Seems like the last person or person’s to be excluded from this are those that are on the registry, those in prison or those that are defaced by society. Two wrongs don’t make a right than what makes a right – or is it women and children first. I just hope this calls attention to authorities. Pandermic or not people shouldn’t go to jail because some police officer did a bait trap on them with this registry hi- jinks. Even going to jail without wearing a mask or fined is a bit to much.
I am afraid computers are used in diabolical ways today and the registry is one. One has to say honesty is the best policy. One don’t even know if they are wearing masks in a courtroom today to cover up. Governments are covering up a lot today and its time for America to awake. Even much of this registry could tell a story of law corruption in many ways. Yes theirs good and bad in everything. If the registry is for safety than this pandermic is telling one something.
Just playing devil’s advocate…
Is it possible the combination of remote registration and technology, makes registration “so easy and painless,” that we will see an explosion of registrable offenses? And I’m not just talking about sex offenses, either. I can see the possibilities, for a HansensLists.com website!
Thank you Janice and The Team on this one.
p.s. I sent an letter three weeks ago since reading your article and thought
I watch him and his Doc and Emgerg Mgr on Noon on local channels live.
Send a letter and request assistance if this is REALLY A PANDEMIC he will faulter.
@ Kaliya, playing the devil’s advocate. You have a very good point. Janice is a smart lady and so is many on the team. Their is a reason for in person registration but their is also a reason, but putting one in jeapardy is not a safety factor. Nothing wrong with protecting and serving but one is dealing with a Convid at this time that is effecting the nation and “Killing” in the wake. Also two types of sex offenders one is induced, one by internet means and one is physical so who’s playing who in this intoxic game of spin the bottle. At times every picture tells a story. Enticing with evil appears to be a playing motiving in many cases.
Nothing wrong with registering by computer or telephone during this Convid period that is effecting the whole nation. Sure an internet encounter is bad enough Police putting one in a position of a sexual nature is a bit out of character when it all comes down to understanding all this. I’m sure men and women still have a “thorn in the flesh.” Authorities seem to be over riding in much of this debauchery type internet ordeal to try another person’s patience or gettings one’s goat.
Fingerprints prove nothing, at least not with regard to registration.
Even if it is you that shows up to fill out the forms, in no way does it prove that anything you put on the forms is correct, that you actually live where you say you do, or that you work where you say.
And if one of us is able to find someone that looks similar enough to pass for us using our photo ID and they fill out the forms, is it any more or less accurate?
Here in Wisconsin, most of us just send a card back once a year. I only go in person when my name comes up for a photo update, every three years or so. That takes about 5 minutes at the local PO office.
No one has been able to show me even one benefit to public safety from in-person registration. To me, it’s all about making the powers-that-be look more ‘tough on crime’.
Good column – informative and well reasoned. Thank you for focusing on this issue, Janice.
The stage is set, but will the players play or what does this mean? Players only play you when they can play you. I didn’t much like that song so is it time for a new song. So who’s DNA is splattered over a milk carton today. I would even think all milk cartons are plastic today so who is tripped up by this dust in the wind.
Are we all guilty……YES, is Government guilty…..YES Are we the people guilty…….YES or should we just play up the great escape and blame it on computers, or Steve McQueen or the devil made me do it, or how about the tongue, and yes the tongue can get one into trouble or who is mouthing off to much.
Now Josh told me to knock it off and yes we can all run our mouths and believe me govenment does enough of that. Look at the kayos in America in the last 60 yrs. or even longer. Segregation, the hippy movement, transgender movement, women’s lib, the computer era, taking pray out of schools, presidents coming and going, even the women’s rights vs the soccer mom’s and even Remington Steele which one has to understand those man made adventure of doing a crime to preventing a crime in a law firm game. Could governments be doing that. Would be sort of diabolical.
I thought I was complaining but we are are uptight about all this registry ordeal. I guess one may be looking now for RegisterGate instead of a WaterGate now or is a protest the social norm.Vietman was a frightful in unforgetable ways and I’m sure this registry is just as pandemonius in many ways.
I believe they’ll play, or where is the widsom of this world and yes the wisdom of this world is folly.
I registered last week by phone. Quick, easy, painless and safe. If that practice continues for some length of time, we might get another useful statistic. If there is not a spike in recidivism–which I doubt there would be–any argument for the utility of in person registration would be eroded.
ACSOL,
I thought I’d post this story here.
https://www.eff.org/press/releases/california-prisons-block-ai-researchers-examining-parole-denials
Somebody who doesn’t want to play ball, aye! Hmm I wonder why not.
Forget the pandemic, there never is a justifiable reason to require in-person registration every year (or more often). In person can not be justified for more often the in-persons renewal of a driver’s license in order to take your picture, which is a cycle of 12 years (wiht no tickets). The reasonit isso frequent in Califnris is an intent to harass — there is no other purpose. And they don’t need your fingerpricts, they haven’t changed.
Same reason you might have to go in and register at several differnt places, another town where you stay sometimes, the campus of a school you attend, other.
Registration in California used to be far less onerous. When you were convicted, you did not have to go in within five days to register, they already had your information, and the court would send it to the state Justice Department. The Justice department would send it to whatever police departments it needed to be with. And at your annual registration, same, one place, sent to Justice Department, Justice would distribute it if any distribution were needed.
Further, you used to have 60 days in which to register, not five. And by the 290 law, that five days is YOUR time to get it done, but local agencies routinely offer registration only once a week, at a specific hour, which can be extremely onerous, and everyone at once, so you can expect to sit around and wait for hours. There is zero justification for this, it is simply for harassment. Registration is the same as a booking and fill out a form, which they do 24/7, not one day at a certain hour only. The locals change YOUR five days in which to get it done to only one day, even to one hour. No, the law gives YOU five days, not one hour. The law is not giving the locals five days in which to get it done, that is your five days. There is no reason why you can’t just walk in at any time day or night to register — they are open and booking round the clock. There is no justification to have such a short period in which to do it, 60 days was much more reasonable — if the justification for registration is as stated rather than harassment.
N O They Do NOT play or follow the Gov!
Only a couple handfuls
SAD
Unsafe
Risky behavior from DOJ for only a.m o nth?
Not extended now in Sept.
Leos wont.listen to Giv unless signed into law with effective date and only CAState DoJ
Just OAK PD LAPD and less than two hands full reg by phone or zoom.